The two PMs noted with pleasure the fine development of two-way friendship and multi-faceted cooperation.

PM Dung emphasised the significance of the joint statement on comprehensive partnership issued during Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to New Zealand and suggested both sides should build a concrete action plan to carry out the relationship.

Sharing the same view with the Vietnamese counterpart, PM Key confirmed that the two countries have huge potential for boosting cooperation, especially in trade, investment, education and training, tourism and coping with climate change.

He went on to emphasise that the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement that will become effective in early next year will help promote the Vietnam-New Zealand multi-faceted cooperation.

PM Dung took the occasion to thank the New Zealand Government for its assistance to Vietnamese victim of storm Ketsana, recognition of Vietnam’s market economy status and reception of 300 Vietnamese workers under the vacation work programme.

PM Dung invited his New Zealand counterpart to visit Vietnam in 2010 on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and New Zealand and between New Zealand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). PM Key accepted the invitation with pleasure and invited PM Dung to visit New Zealand at a convenient time.

On the evening of October 24, PM Dung attended a banquet hosted by the Thai Premier and his wife in honour of heads of delegations to the 15th ASEAN Summit.

Deputy PM Hai visits Ireland

Vietnam and Ireland have agreed to facilitate their business circles’ investment in Vietnam, especially in Ireland’s strong fields including energy, information technology, finance-banking, medical equipment and bio- technology.

The agreement was reached during Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai’s visit to Ireland on October 22-23.

During the two-day visit, Deputy PM Hai paid courtesy calls on President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Brian Cowen and had separate meetings with Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Barry Andrews, Central Bank Governor John Hurley and Minister for Trade and Commerce Billy Kellehe. He also attended the Vietnam-Ireland business forum, received leaders of several leading Irish economic groups and visited Dublin College and Trinity College.

At these talks and meetings, Irish leaders confirmed their priotised official development assistance (ODA) policy for Vietnam focusing on capacity building, administrative reform and climate change response.

Both host and guest noted with pleasure the positive development of multifaceted cooperation between the countries, especially in priotised areas of economics, trade, investment, development cooperation and training and education.

The two sides also agreed to boost bilateral education-training cooperation. Ireland said it would increase its number of scholarships for Vietnamese students and create favourable conditions for training and scientific research cooperation between Irish and Vietnamese universities.

They highlighted the cooperation and mutual support between the two countries at multi-parties forums, especially at the United Nations and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two foreign ministries in which they will have regular meetings to exchange opinions in politics and diplomatic issues as well as issues of mutual concern.

Irish leaders affirmed their support to enhance Vietnam's comprehensive cooperation with the European Union (EU) while Vietnam supports Ireland in promoting its cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the context of Vietnam’s assumption of the bloc’s presidency next year.

They took the occasion to praise Vietnam's important renewal achievements recorded over the past 20 years of renewal in sustaining high economic growth rate, obtaining many UN Millennium Development Goals as well as coping with the global economic downturn.

On this occasion, Deputy PM Hai conveyed invitations of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet and PM Nguyen Tan Dung to their Irish counterparts to visit Vietnam. Both President Mary McAleese and PM Brian Cowen accepted these invitations and the time of the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channel.

Vietnam welcomes Timor-Leste’s efforts for national solidarity

Vietnam welcomed the efforts of Timor- Leste’s Government and people, especially in maintaining public security situation conducive to the realisation of the country’s political, social and economic objectives.

Addressing a UNSC debate on Timor-Leste in New York on October 23, Ambassador Le Luong Minh, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN and Chairman of the UNSC, said Vietnam commended the Timor-Leste government and President Rose Ramos-Horta personally for their commitment to strengthening national unity by building consensus, enhancing political dialogue, consultation, reconciliation and mediation.

He also highly appreciated the efforts of UNMIT in carrying out its mandate of providing assistance to Timor-Leste, in maintaining public security and implementing legal and police capacity-building projects with a view to helping the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) assume its responsibilities through a gradual and phased process.

“As a close neighbour of Timor –Leste, Viet Nam, to its utmost ability, will continue to support and assist the Government and people of Timor-Leste in their struggle for peace, revival and development,” he concluded.

Vietnam, Cambodia seeks ways to lift investment ties

Leaders from the Ministries of Planning and Investment of Vietnam and Cambodia met in southwestern Tay Ninh province on October 23-24 to discuss measures to step up bilateral cooperative relations.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Minister Truong Van Doan, while the Cambodian mission was headed by Secretary of State at the Ministry of Planning Hu Taing Eng.

Doan said the recent cooperation between the two ministries as well as border provinces have yielded promising results, especially in investment, agriculture, transport, trade, exports and human resources development.

However, Doan stressed that the cooperation in a number of areas have yet to match aspirations of both sides.

The deputy minister proposed that the ministries increase the exchange of experiences, support each other in personnel training, and join hands to raise two-way trade.

He also called on provinces along the shared border to boost cooperation in line with the agreements already signed between the two governments.

Minister vows further aid to Cuba’s food security

Cuban President Raul Castro has expressed thanks for Vietnamese assistance after Vietnamese Construction Minister Nguyen Hong Quan pledged further cooperation and help to Cuba in all fields, especially in agricultural projects for its food security.

The duo met in Havana, Cuba, on October 23, where the Cuban leader emphasised on the need for the two countries to facilitate the exchange of experiences in economic development and socialist construction.

Quan was in Cuba for a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation as head of the Vietnamese sub-committee.

The meeting was wrapped up on the day with Quan and his Cuban counterpart, Fidel Figueroa, signing a protocol on budget disbursement and financial management related to a programme on rice production in Cuba for 2009-2015.

The two ministers sounded satisfactory at the meeting results, saying such events have helped the two sides better understand each other and reach consensus to join efforts in strengthening traditional friendship.

During his stay in Cuba, the Vietnamese head delegate had separate working sessions with the Minister for Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Information Technology and Communication.

The Vietnamese guests also visited the Centre of Molecular Immunology and the Institute for Vaccine and Serum Production.

Thailand supports Vietnam in hosting ASEAN Summit 2010

Deputy spokesperson for the Thai Prime Minister’s Office Suphachai Jaismut has expressed the hope that Vietnam will be able to fully and effectively assume its role as ASEAN President.

On October 24, the 15th ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin and related summits entered the second working day with a focus on issues of mutual concern and Vietnam’s assumption of ASEAN president in 2010.

Deputy spokesperson for the Thai Prime Minister’s Office Suphachai Jaismut said that Vietnam is one of the nations spearheading ASEAN, therefore, the country is well qualified to take the helm of ASEAN and fulfill its tasks effectively.

The Thai Government is ready to share its experience with Vietnam in organsing the ASEAN Summit in 2010 and playing its role as the ASEAN President, said Suphachai Jaismut.

Vietnam’s preparations for the ASEAN Presidency is also in Thailand’s media spotlight. Noppajak Arttanon, a TV reporter from the Communications Group Nation also expressed his belief that with good infrastructure facilities and political stability, Vietnam is well suited to take up the task.